Outlet or junction box.



J. C. PHELPS.

OUTLET 0R JUNCTION BOX.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 14, 191s.

4lg, y n Patented Ja11.12,1915.

z SHEETS-SHEET 1.

r f, fi j j o s A TTORNE YS' J. C. PHELPS.

OUTLET 0R JUNCTION BOX. APPLIoA'rIoN FILED MAY 14, 1913.

Patented Jan. 12, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

IN VEN TOR. Jamas i Plzegw'.

narran STATES PATENT onirica.,

OUTLET 0R JUNCTION BOX.

Application led May 14, 1913.

T0 all 11:71am it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES C. PHELPs, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Springfield, in the county of Hampden and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements 1n utlet or Junction Boxes, of which the` following is a specication.

This invention relates to improvements 1n outlet or junction boxes for electrical fittings.

rl`he invention is an improvement on the construction shown, described and claimed in my pending case for attachmentfor conduit outlet boxes, ,Serial No. 690,024, filed April 11, 1912. 4

ln the present invention the improvement is confined to devices to permit the wires to be readily connected togetherwithin the box, or they may extend therefrom to one or more conduits that are suitablV connected to the base portion of the box. The lconduits employed are preferably of the well-known construction consisting of two separable members that are sprung or snapped t0- gether. 4

An object of the invention is to provide a bushing adi acent the inner end of the cony duit,-said bushing being substantially U- shape in cross-section to correspond with the shape of the conduit and to permit the wires to pass or be drawn therethrough, and, also, to provide the cover with a rib-portion that will lie over the upper edge of the bushing' to retain Vthe wires in place when the cover is attached.

A further object of the invention is to provide means to permit openings in the fianged cover and base portions, respectively, of the box to register, or to be closed, as desired, whereby one or more external connections may be made with the wires within the box. as may be required.

A further object of the invention is .to provide means to retain the cover in place.I whereby the same may be readily attached and detached, as may be required, according to the number of outlet openings in use.

Referring to the drawings-Figure l is a plan view of the complete outlet-box showing the parts assembled and with the cover partly cut awav to clearlv illustrate 'the manner in which the conduitsare attached to the base-portion; also showing the relative location between the inner end of the conduitand the U-shaped bushing-with the Specication of Letters Patent.

Serial 1V o. 767,576.

wires passing from the outlet-box through the bushing and into the conduit member. This view also illustrates the manner in which the cover isA secured to the base-member; also the adjustable bracket-member that secures the base-piece to the outlet or Junction box proper. Fig. 2 is a vertical .Sectional View on the line 2-2 of Fig. l, showing the cover and base members assembled andthe construction' of the bracket- Patented aan. i2, i915..

member, with the bolts in place and the nuts thereon engaging the underside of the shoulder portion of the outlet-box; also showing the wires passing from the outletbox to the conduitand the rib on the box engaging the upper portion of the bushing, with which the inner end of the conduit engages. lFigs. 3, 4, 5, 6j, 7, 8, 9, and 10 are horizontal sectional views taken through the depending and upwardly-extending flanges only of the cover and base member, respectively, as indicated by the broken line 3 1() of Fig. 2, showing the different positions ot the flanged cover member with relation to the flanged base-member, whereby the openings in the flanges of each member may be made to register or to close as may be desired, according to the number `of conduits that are yto be used to permit the wires to extend from the outlet-box to one or more of the conduit branches. Fig. 1l is va detail horivontal sectional view on the line ll-l of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings in detail,- @designates the outlet or junction box of any approved construction, which is preferably formed from thin steel stampiugs and 'having a shoulder portion b and an openended flange portion 0. The wires are indicated as entering the box through suitable openings d.v The plastering e is applied to and around the shoulder portion o and against the flange c. Extending over the 'flange c and resting against the plastering e is a base member formed with a bearing iange f, and formed integral with the portion f is' an inclined portion o and a flange portion `that is parallel with the bearing part f which engages the plastering. The bearing flang'eportion it is formed with an opening e'. which receives an adjustable bracket-member j. This bracket-member is constructed with an outwardly-extending rim or 'flange portion 7c and a pair of depending opnositely-located members m that are parallel with each .other Each depending member m of the bracketmember j is provided with a vertically arranged recessed portion py and a semi-circular groove g as shown in .dottedlines in Fig. 1.. Passing through the flange k are bolts r having nuts s on their lower ends which ride 1n the rectangular shaped recess p and are prevented from turning thereby (see Fig. 11). The lower'ends of the depending members m are made inclined forming a cam surface, as indicated at t, whereby when; the nuts s are at the extreme lower ends of the bolts 1' the latter can be tilted inwardly into the groove p, allowing the bracket to be readily inserted in the opening z' o. the flange member la.. As the bolts r are rotated by means of a screw-driver, or other suitable implement, the nuts s travel along the .inclined ends t and are forced or 'moved into engagement withthe lower edge b of the shoulder b, as clearlysshown in Formed integral with the bearing flange f of the base member are. bushing inembers u that are substantially U-shape. in cross-section. These members are open at the top to receive the wires fv, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 2.` These members are in alinement with the conduits fw, the lower sections lw of which are attached to the bearing flange part f by means of the screws m. The inner end of the conduit 'w bears 'against the bushing-member u, as shown. y designates the cover or ycap-member which extends over the base-member and closes the outlet-box. This cap-member is formed on the lower surface thereof with a rib 3 which substantially registers with the upper edge of the bushing-members u and is designed toI protect and confine the wires v within this U-shaped passageway in order to retain them in place after the cap-member is assembled. The underside of this cap-member is formed with a depending flange 4` and the upper side of the base-member is formed with an upwardlyprojecting flange or rim 5. This upwardlyextending flange is provided with three cutout portions. 6, 7 and 8,as shown in-Figs. 3 to 10, inclusive, and as shown, these openings or cut-out portions are arranged 90 apart. The depending flange 4 of the covermember y is also provided with cut-out portions 9. 10, 11 and 12. In Fig. -3 a single conduit w is shown with lthe openings 7 and 8 in the upwardly-extending flange 4 closed. In this arrangement only one branch or conduit is used. The openings 10,11 and 12 are also closed. `In Fig. 4 two conduits are used in the same line with each other. In this view the openings -6 and 8 are open and the other opening A7 is closed b v the inner nr depending flange 4. In this figure and the following figures, it is assumed lthat the cover y has been rotated, inthe diclosed.

rection of the arrow 13 a distance equal to that between thel openings 9 and 10 of the flange 4. It should be stated that the upper edge y of the cover or. cap-member y is formed with notches or recesses y2 that are 45'apart. l These notches are for the purpose of securing the cap-member y in place by .means of the screws .14. The latter enter the threaded enlargements or bosses 15 of'the 'base-member, which are formed integral.

flange 4. may be obtained. These Various combinations are clearly shown in Figs. 3 to 10.

Referring now toFig. 5,V it will be. seen that only one conduit w is used which passes through the registering openings 7 and 9,

the remaining cut-out portions in the two .flanges 4 and 5 being closed,-the position of the conduit in this figure being 90 from that shown in Fig. 3.

In Fig'. 6, after the cover ,hasbeen advanced another 45, or step, two conduits [fw at right angles are shown, the remaining openings being closed.

- In Fig. 7, after another step by the cover,

the single conduit enters the box 180 from the position shown in Fig. 3 and 90 beyond lthat shown in Fig. 5, and with the other openings closed.

` In Fig. 8, after another step of the cover y, three conduits A'w are shown and only the cut-out portion 9 of the inner flange 4 is In Fig..9,'after-another step of 45 of .the-cover y, it will be seen that all of the ,openings or cut-out portions in the two anges are closed, while in Fig. 10, after another. step' of the cover y 45, two conduits are in use, as shown. A

It will be seen from this construction and arrangement of the base and cap-members fwith thel cut-outs in the flanges 4 and 5 thereof that any one of the eight combinations, asdescribed, are possible. I t will also be seen that the person installing a system of wiring. may readily adiust the box to almost any= position required in practice. Also. that the cap or cover member y can be. readily secured in place in any desired position'by means of the screws 14, only two of sufficient room for the upwardly-extending flange portion e as the thickness of the plastering varies. In some cases the thickness of the plastering @may be verythin and in such case the rim c would extend almost to the underside of the Hangs-portion la.

It is,'of course, clearly within the province of my invention to omit the box-member a and use only the base and cap members when it is desired to connect the wires together Within the cap member. In such a case the invention would serve as a junction box only, it being understood that no outlet wires or branches are taken o" from the wires within the box. The baseamember would then simply be securedfin any suitable manner to the'support when it was desirable to connect the wires to ther. It will also be seen that by reason o the-raised central portion of the base member, the con.. duits w will always leave the same nearly flush with the plaster line.

What I claim, is,-

1. In a junction or outlet box construction, the combination, of an outlet-box proper formed with an4 opening, of a' basse` member, a tiange portion on said base-member adjacent to said box and elevated above the bearing Surface ,of said base-member, said fiange portion inthe base member being formed with an opening in the center portion thereof toregister with the opening in the outlet box, a cap-member to close the outlet opening of said box and extending .over the base-member, the base and cap members being formed with oppositely-extending flanges having cut-out portions in said flanges, whereby when the cap-member 'is adjusted to various positions the wires from said box may be led off in various directions or branches, and means for securing the cap-member in the various positions of adjustment.

2. In an outlet or junction box construction, the combination, a junction-box proper, base and cap members having oppositely extending flanges, means to secure said base member to said box, said members having openings or cut-out portions in said ianges, means to adjustably secure the base and capmembers together to bring one or more of the openings in said flanges to register with each other when in one position and to close all of the openings in said anges when in another position, as described.

3. In an outlet construction for electrical fittings, the combination, of a base member formed with a bearing surface, and an upper rim portion spaced from the bearing surface, a junction-box ';proper, means to secure the base-member to said box, the base member having bushing members open at the top to receive Wires therein, the capmember having a depending-rim designed to register with the upper edges of the bushing members to close said bushing members after wires have been placed therein, and means to secure the cap-member to the basemember in various positions of adjustment, as described.

a. In an outlet or junction box construction, a base-member, a flange on said base member, said flange having cutout portions therein, a cap-member, a depending flange on said cap. member having cut-out portions therein so spaced that when the cap-member is turned relative to the base-member one or more of the out-outr portions orl openings therein will register with openings lin the cap member and, when the cap-member is adjusted to a certain position all of the openings in the two flanges of the base and capmembers will be closed, and means to secure the cap and base members together, as described.

5. In a Vjunction or outlet box construction, the combination with said box, of a base=member, means to secure the same to the box, said box having an outwardly-extending flange-portion,I the 'base-member having a raised central portion to receive the outwardly-extending llange portion of the box, a cap-member, and means to secure the same to the base-member in any one of a plurality of positions.

6. In an outlet-box construction, the combination with said box, of a base-member, a conduit secured thereto, said member having av U-shaped bushing integral therewith open at its upper part to retain the outlet wires in place at the point. of entrance to the conduit which is secured to the basemember, and a cap-member having a rim thereon and located to register with the upper edge of the bushing to close the same,`

ianges on said cap and base members having out out portions, said cut out portions arranged s o that one or more may be closed as one member is moved relatively to the other, as described.

7. In an outlet-box construction for electrical ittingsth e combination, of an outlet box, a base-member formed with threaded bosses, means to secure said base-member to the box, a cap-member formed with a iiange portion and spaced recesses in the flangeportion thereof to receive said securing means which enter said bosses, and the base and cap members having flanges with openings therein and adapted to fit one within the other, whereby by means of said securing means the cap-member may be retained in different positions of adjustment relative to the base-member, as described.

8. In a junction or outlet-box construc-` tion, the combination, a base and cap-member, flanges thereon provided withv cut out portions and arranged in overlapping relation, the base member having. a bushing formed integral therewith and with one side open, a cap-member having a rim thereon to close the open side of the bushing when said cap-member is secured to the base-member,

a conduit secured to thebase-member ina position to register with said bushing whereby the conductors are 'protected and are held away from the inner end of the conduit which is attached to the base-member,` as described.

9. In a junction-box, the combination of a base and cap member, each formed with a flange or.rim portion having cut-outl portions therein andk positioned to fit one within the other, the cutoutportions being. so 1ocated or arranged in the ange or run portion to permit al1 or any one of the cut-out openings to be closed as one member, is moved relative to the other.

10. In a junction oroutlet box construetion, the combination, of an outlet box, a base member formed with an 4opening in the center portion thereof, means to secure the base-member t said box, a cap member, flanged rims on said base member and .ein combination,

-'on said'cap member, said rims arranged in overlappino` relation and rovided with a plurality' oli openings therem, and means to secure the cap member 11. An outlet or junction box` comprising, base and ca'pmembers formed with uopenings thereini' to receive conduits, the location ofthe openings being such as to permit of the openings' in one member to register with the same number of openings in the other vmember or any two of the openings in said membersvto register for the insertion of a conduit, means to adjust one member relativeto the other as described, and means to retain the members in diferen't positions of adjustment, as described.

JAMES C. IHELPS. lVitnesses: HARRY W. TownN,

HENRY W; Boo'rir.

to the base-member. 

